How To Add To A Tattoo?
Photo by Ryn Gargulinski Tattoos can be like potato chips: once you have one, you’re going to want a whole lot more. Rather than randomly tattoo knees, elbows and calves, you can add to tattoos in a way that creates an overall pleasing picture. It especially helps if you pick a theme, but it’s not necessary as long as you keep tattoos in the same type of style so your body is not covered with jarring juxtapositions of art.
- You can add to tattoos with a little forethought and a few simple steps;
- Assess the tattoos you already have;
- Take a look at the placement, subject matter and style or your existing tattoos and figure out what would fit in as your next installment;
Decide where you want a new one. Placement can be determined by your existing tattoos or just where you want a new one. If you have one bicep covered, perhaps you want to start adding to your other arm. If one leg is adorned, pick your placement on the opposite foot.
- Lots of people like symmetry, so that’s an easy call when it comes to adding new tattoos;
- Decide what the new one should be;
- You may want to match the mood and theme of your existing tattoos, or you may not;
For a match, bodies tattooed with dragons, spiders and snakes may scream out for a tattoo of some type of animal skeleton. Skin sashayed with butterflies and flowers may plead to add a heart. Tribal art works well to compliment any tattoos, but again you get to choose if you want thick, black lines or thinner, intertwined outlines.
- Sketch a rough drawing of the new tattoo to determine the size, shape and any details that must be included;
- Play around with the size, shape and other aspects to make the tattoo fit where and what you want;
You can also go down to your local tattoo shop and ask the artist to design one for you based on what you’ve thought about. Practice with your design. Make a photocopy of your sketch and cut out the photocopy. That way you will be free to place your design in different areas of your body to see where it best compliments your existing artwork.
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Can you add to an existing tattoo?
Let the artist take lead on the design Most tattoo artists are in fact artists. They want to tattoo you with their own art. This isn’t just a creative preference. Tattooers generally have perfected a certain style (or styles). Their best designs and their best execution will be in this style(s). They want to be confident and and proud of your tattoo.
- Don’t send them a picture of another artist’s work and say “I want this tattoo”.
- Don’t be surprised if the artist does not want to tattoo in a style that is not their own.
- Do share reference images for the subject matter you like.
- Do share reference images from the artist’s own portfolio and say “I like the style you used here. “
Be as specific as you need to be. Not more or less. Artists love it when you give them creative freedom but don’t do it unless you really do want them to make all creative decisions. If you have something specific in mind, tell them.
- Don’t tell the artist “you have complete freedom” and then come to the shop and make a lot of corrections.
- Do tell the artist any specifics you have in mind before they work on the design!
New tattoos are always a better option than “adding on” to, or modifying an existing tattoos. Most artists would rather not work with another artist’s tattoo. It adds constraints to their design potential and it forces them to either: (a) Vandalize an existing, nice tattoo or (b) Have their work seen alongside an existing ugly tattoo. Either way, this won’t be a portfolio piece and won’t get the best work from the artist.
That’s not possible if you give excessive direction or if you force the artist outside of their core styles. Also, remember that good artists won’t copy another artist’s design so don’t ask. Consider: do you really need your existing tattoo to keep growing and becoming more and more of a Frankenstein’s Monster? Or can you offer new real estate to each artist? Cover-ups are a different story.
If you need a cover-up, you need a coverup. Not all artists are technically capable of good cover-ups and not all artists like to do them because of the additional constraint but it’s always worth asking.
- Don’t think of your tattoo as a house you are continually remodelling.
- Do think of tattoos more like paintings you are commissioning. Give the artist a clean canvas.
- Do consider going back to the same artist for modifying or touching up an existing tattoo.
Don’t design by committee There’s nothing worse than customers who bring an opinionated friend or loved one to “help” them with design decisions. You hired the artist to help you with design. Adding a third party can complicate the already-delicate balance of artist/client in the design process. The more opinions you solicit, the harder and more confusing the process will be. Only you know what you want and the artist can help you.
- Don’t bring a friend or spouse to speak for you.
- Don’t text photos of the design to friends asking for their opinion.
- Do tell your opinionated friends to quiet down if they become too involved in your tattoo design process.
Limit your party to yourself + 1 max Speaking of bringing others with you… consider visiting the shop alone for your appointment. Most shops are limited in their space and cannot accommodate your friends. Not only that, your friends might think it sounds fun to be at the shop while you get tattooed, but it’s not. Your friends will be bored.
- Don’t bring extra people with you to be tattooed without asking the shop first. Most shops don’t want your friends sleeping in the waiting area while you get tattooed.
- Do limit your party to just you or one other if you must and encourage your friends to go do something while you get tattooed so they don’t sleep in the waiting area.
Let the artist concentrate while you get tattooed Even the most experienced artists need to limit stressors during their tattooing. Tattooing requires intense concentration. Some artists love to gab while tattooing but others prefer to be quiet. Let the artist take the lead or ask them what they prefer.
- Do bring a book to read or movie to watch provided you can do it without moving.
- Do let your artist take the lead on whether or not to talk.
- Don’t stare at the tattoo while your artist is working. This is stressful.
- Don’t talk too much unless your artit is the chatty one.
Sit still! For obvious reasons, you never want to move while there is a tattoo needle inking your skin. If you might have trouble with pain, consider a numbing cream in advance of getting tattooed (ask your artist first). If you’re jumpy, you’re wasting tattooing time and risking mistakes. Generally though, you’re stressing out the artist which can mean not getting their best work.
- Don’t move unexpectedly.
- Don’t talk if you’re getting your ribs tattooed.
- Do let the artist know if you need to move or stretch.
- Do let the artist know If you think the furniture can be adjusted to be more comfortable.
- Do consider topical numbing cream in advance of your tattoo if you’re worried about tolerating the pain (ask the artist first though)
Tipping It is customary to tip tattoo artists just like (in the US) it is customary to tip restaurant wait staff. Because it’s customary, not tipping is seen as a sign of being dissatisfied with your tattoo.
- Do expect to tip when budgeting for your tattoo.
- Do tip the artist directly and in cash.
- Do tip big (e. 20%+) if you love your tattoo.
- Do talk to your artist whenever you feel something isn’t being handled well (consultation, design, etc). A small tip (or no tip) shouldn’t be the only sign that you are dissatisfied.
Aftercare There are many different aftercare procedures out there. Always follow the artist’s own aftercare instructions because you and the artist are both responsible for the quality of your tattoo.
- Do make sure to get precise instructions for aftercare from your artist.
- Do feel OK to ask questions during the healing process if something seems wrong.
- Do a little research about healing tattoos to know what’s normal. Scabbing is normal. Ink on the bandage is normal. Looking faded in the first couple of weeks is normal.
Touch-ups Most tattoos will not need touching up — at least for many years. However, sometimes ink does fall out or fade. This can happen for many reasons. The artist’s tattoo technique matters but it’s just half the story. Healing/fading is also affected by aftercare, your biology, the placement on the body (bendy parts like wrists, elbows, fingers, etc will fade more and faster).
- Do wait 30 days before even considering a touch-up. Tattoos can look less-than-perfect while healing and need 30 days to be completely healed.
- Do take good care of your tattoo following artist instructions and avoiding any strong sun exposure, rubbing, or soaking of the tattoo area while it’s healing.
- Don’t expect the tattoo ink to look as vibrant as it did the day of your tattoo. Tattoo ink sits under the top layer of skin so, once healed, you’ll be looking at the ink through the top layer of skin.
- Don’t be confrontational with the artist about your touch-up. Your artist cares as much as you do about the tattoo looking great so there’s no reason to take an aggressive posture if you have concerns about your tattoo.
How do you modify a tattoo?
How soon can you add to a new tattoo?
You should wait at least 2–3 weeks after your last appointment before getting tattooed again. These important factors contribute to this:
- Healing time
- Tattoo size
- Pain threshold
- Immune system
- Saving up
- Artist availability
- To avoid bad choices
On average, it takes at least 2–3 weeks for a tattoo to heal, at least on the surface. During this time, your tattoo should have gone through most of the hurdles associated with the healing process. Healing after getting a tattoo can be quite uncomfortable. It could include pain, redness, tightness and itchiness; all of which aren’t life-threatening but are expected.
Can another tattoo artist touch up?
You Can Find a Studio Willing to Touch Up Another’s Work (where applicable) – You should not be punished for not living in the same locale as the tattooist who completed the original work. You may have received a tattoo in another destination while on vacation or you (or the artist) may simply have moved.
Alternatively, you may not be all that happy with the original work, or found that the tattooist, while skilled, had a terrible bedside manner. Regardless of the scenario you need to find a studio that is willing to do a tune-up on old work.
Some parlors won’t do this, so do your homework ahead of time before walking in to a shop near you.
What do you do if you don’t like your tattoo?
Perhaps you spent days thinking about your dream body ink and thought you had a definite idea of exactly where you wanted your new tattoo to be on your body. Or maybe, you just felt like trying something new on a whim. Either way, if you’re no longer in love with a tattoo, then you’re not entirely out of luck.
How do you fill gaps between tattoos?
What are filler tattoos?
We all know that filler tattoos usually need to serve a purpose. They’re used to fill gaps, distract, and draw the eye away from imperfections. Don’t shy away from classics to cover small defects or fading. Leaves, flowers, scrolling, or lettering in small doses can go a long way in covering up those little mistakes.
How Much Should U Tip a tattoo artist?
How Much to Tip – If you decide to tip, the next step is to calculate exactly how much to add to the final tattoo price. The general consensus in the tattoo community is that 20 percent is the typical amount to tip — just like at a restaurant or a hair salon.
- However, consider this number a baseline, as some tattoos require more or less work than others;
- Just like there is no one tattoo experience or price, there’s no one-size-fits-all tipping option;
- “The more you spend on the tattoo, the more you should tip, as they are putting more work into the piece,” says Fiore;
Weed, however, notes that there is one thing that every tattoo experience needs to have to warrant a tip: It needs to be great. Your artist is putting time into the behind-the-scenes of your tattoo, but it’s also their responsibility to ensure you’re comfortable and having a good time while it’s happening.
What should you not say to a tattoo artist?
Is it normal to not like your tattoo at first?
It’s not unusual for a person to change their mind after getting a tattoo. In fact, one survey says 75 percent of their 600 respondents admitted to regretting at least one of their tattoos. But the good news is there are things you can do before and after getting a tattoo to lower your chances of regret.
Can you rework a tattoo?
How to Integrate Old Tattoos Into Your New Design
– All tattoos will eventually fade with time. As we mentioned in the Choosing The Size And Spot section of this guide, tattoos on some body parts will fade more quickly. In addition, smaller details are more likely to fade as well. Tattoos that have faded can be enhanced or reworked.
Whether a tattoo has faded or not, it can also be modified to either alter the design or cover up an old tattoo entirely. Rework can include replacing faded color, or adding shading and highlighting. Modifying a tattoo may require some laser removal to make the original colors fade before a modified design or cover up tattoo is added on top of the original tattoo.
Keep in mind that you can’t tattoo something light over something dark. The tattoo rework process is very similar to the steps you’d take in getting a new tattoo that we outline in The Tattooing Process. However, rework is even more complicated than getting the tattoo the first time as the artist needs to be very skilled and experienced in working with existing tattoos. .
How many times can you touch up a tattoo?
Can you go a decade without a tattoo touch up? – 
Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock Getting a tattoo touched up doesn’t mean that your artist wasn’t excellent or that you didn’t let it heal properly. According to Inkedmind. com , everyone’s skin heals and takes to tattoo ink differently, so touch ups are perfectly normal and often not the direct fault of anyone involved. However, touch ups should never be done until the tattoo is fully healed. Then, touch ups are recommended to be done between the first one to six months of having the tattoo, but can be done successfully up to one year after getting the tattoo.
This immediate form of touch ups is largely for imperfections in the original tattoo, such as some patches of skin not taking to the ink as well as others. Once you’ve had a tattoo for a while, though, you can touch them up much less often.
According to a tattoo artist on Quora , tattoos can go several years without being touched up. After the initial touch up within a year of getting it, they’re completely optional and can be done whenever you notice your ink is fading. Moreover, this tattoo artist noted that some artists offer free lifetime touch ups, so if yours does, you should definitely take them up on it.
When should I stop moisturizing my tattoo?
The tattooed area might still look dry and dull. Keep moisturizing until the skin looks hydrated again. By the second or third week, the outer layers of skin should’ve healed. It may take 3 to 4 months for the lower layers to completely heal.
Does Aquaphor pull ink out of tattoos?
Inked Ritual and Aquaphor are very different tattoo care products. – Aquaphor and Inked Ritual Tattoo Care are two completely different products with a very different purpose and function for your tattoo aftercare. Aquaphor is a multi-purpose healing ‘ointment’ used for treating diaper rash, chapped lips, dry skin, etc.
- It can also be used to sooth minor skin wounds, cuts and scrapes;
- And for some reason people choose to use Aquaphor to heal their new tattoos;
- Aquaphor is not a tattoo aftercare product , and if you’ve ever used it on a fresh tattoo, or even considering using it, then you’ll want to read the following first;
INGREDIENTS Aquaphor contains Petrolatum (petroleum) and Mineral oil which is a liquid form of petroleum jelly. These are waste by-products that come from the petroleum oil distillation process during gasoline production. Petrolatum and mineral oil are super cheap and toxic ingredients that should never be used on a large open wound like a tattoo.
Aquaphor also contains Lanolin Alcohol , which is an oily material from sheep’s wool. Lanolin Alcohol can cause contact dermatitis rash or other skin reactions. Even worse. some people have noticed their skin appears lighter from lanolin alcohol use.
FUNCTION Aquaphor seals and suffocates the skin’s surface due to the thick petrolatum and mineral ingredients. Suffocating your fresh tattoo impairs the tattoo recovery and skin healing process, by blocking the skin’s natural respiration. By sealing the surface of your tattooed skin, Aquaphor stops moisture from leaving the skin, which can negatively affect a fresh tattoo during recovery and healing.
- During post tattoo recovery, y our fresh tattooed skin needs to breathe;
- Using a petroleum based product like Aquaphor can cause premature skin aging and tattoo fading;
- Using Aquaphor for tattoo aftercare, poses a risk of damaging your tattoo by causing premature fading;
It has also been found that petrolatum and mineral oil can pull fresh tattoo ink from the skin. Again, another reason to avoid products that contain petrolatum and or mineral oil ingredients. They can make your tattoos heal less vibrant than they could have.
Now I know that many people have used Aquaphor over the years and will disagree, claiming that it has worked fine. Sure, it may have worked fine, however they are risks, both short term (premature tattoo fading) and long term, such as cancer or other endocrine disorders from the toxins.
So why take the chance of prematurely fading your fresh new tattoo? Advancements in the skincare industry have greatly evolved over the past few years. There are several excellent all-natural tattoo aftercare products, formulated specifically for tattoo post-recovery and healing.
- Consider choosing one instead of the baby’s diaper rash ointment;
- INKED RITUAL Tattoo Care Ok, now let’s discuss Inked Ritual;
- We’ve had people ask us if Inked Ritual and Aquaphor are the same type of skincare product;
And the answer is no, not at all. Inked Ritual is a Tattoo Care product formulated exclusively to enhance, restore and protect healed tattoos from fading. This intensive skin rejuvenating serum, uses transdermal technology that penetrates and transports potent active ingredients deep into your tattooed skin.
The purpose and function of Inked Ritual is to keep your skin healthy, by boosting collagen production while slowing skin aging. Healthy skin = bold vibrant tattoos. Being a serum, Inked Ritual’s molecular structure is lightweight, non-greasy and will not seal, suffocate or clog your skin’s pores like Aquaphor.
Healthy youthful skin = bold vibrant tattoos for life. Another major difference between Inked Ritual and Aquaphor, is not just the advanced serum technology, but also the bio-active ingredients that Inked Ritual contains. This includes 7 anti-aging Peptides, Amino Acids, Hyaluronic Acid, Plant Stem Cells, Antioxidants, Vitamins, and Phospholipids.
Inked Ritual is toxin free. There’s no petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin, parabens, or alcohol ingredients. Inked Ritual is cruelty- free and vegan-friendly. When it comes to keeping your tattoos looking their best, Inked Ritual is your tattoos first line of defense.
You will see the bold vibrancy of your tattoos change after using it. It works on new and old tattoos, and all skin types. Disclaimer: Inked Ritual was not developed for tattoo recovery, and we do not promote it for tattoo healing. But many customers have used Inked Ritual on their fresh ink, and love the results.
What is rework tattoo?
– All tattoos will eventually fade with time. As we mentioned in the Choosing The Size And Spot section of this guide, tattoos on some body parts will fade more quickly. In addition, smaller details are more likely to fade as well. Tattoos that have faded can be enhanced or reworked.
Whether a tattoo has faded or not, it can also be modified to either alter the design or cover up an old tattoo entirely. Rework can include replacing faded color, or adding shading and highlighting. Modifying a tattoo may require some laser removal to make the original colors fade before a modified design or cover up tattoo is added on top of the original tattoo.
Keep in mind that you can’t tattoo something light over something dark. The tattoo rework process is very similar to the steps you’d take in getting a new tattoo that we outline in The Tattooing Process. However, rework is even more complicated than getting the tattoo the first time as the artist needs to be very skilled and experienced in working with existing tattoos. .
What are filler tattoos?
We all know that filler tattoos usually need to serve a purpose. They’re used to fill gaps, distract, and draw the eye away from imperfections. Don’t shy away from classics to cover small defects or fading. Leaves, flowers, scrolling, or lettering in small doses can go a long way in covering up those little mistakes.
